It's another long holiday weekend as the Missouri Highway Patrol expects travelers to hit the road today.  

Seargent Shane Hux with Troop H says Labor Day marks the third of the four major travel holidays. Hux encourages everyone to plan for save travel during the weekend 

"This is one of the holiday's it seems like where alcohol is involved because a lot of people take to the water because the weather is still nice this time of year," Hux tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "So, we just encourage you to be responsible, if you consume anything that causes impairment, plan ahead, have a plan in place, and use a designated driver."  

MoDOT reports roadway fatalities are trending downward for a third year in a row, down two percent so far, with 344 deaths this year compared to 364 in 2023. 

Hux says during last year's Labor Day holiday period, 110 arrests were made for driving while intoxicated, because drivers are not being responsible after drinking 

"They're not making plans to get home with a sober driver, and that's what we're trying to stress here, because last year on Missouri roadways 17 people died in traffic crashes during the three-day Labor Day weekend, two people were killed in boating fatalities," Hux explains. 

Hux says if you have any trouble, remember to contact the patrols star 55 emergency hotline for help 

"Now we also encourage them to contact us if they're behind a vehicle careless and imprudent operation, traveling at high speeds, or if they believe the driver is impaired or even on their phone," Hux says.  "Or if they see a small child inside a vehicle that's unsecured." 

The Highway Patrol will be out in force starting this evening at 6pm until Monday at midnight. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

MSHP encourages safe travel this long Labor Day holiday weekend

ATCHISON —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations.

At 8:30p.m. on Thursday, police responded to an apartment complex in the 300 block Santa Fe Street in Atchison to investigate a possible burglary, according to Police Chief Mike Wilsonm.

It was determined that no burglary had occurred but during the investigation the resident and reporting party, 61-year-old Gary Odum, was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

&nbsp;Odum was arrested on a requested charge for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He has a previous conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Call about burglary led to Kansas felon's drug arrest

It was a longer than desired delay, but the Noyes Field at Central High School in St. Joseph is finally getting new turf. 

St. Joseph School District Director of Operations, Casey Housman, says rainy summer weather forced delays, with upwards of three inches falling at times.

Housman says after the rain fell, they would have to let everything dry out.

"What that did over time is we had so much rain the subgrade underneath is a lot of expansive clay, that expansive clay would absorb that wall and really just cause a lot of soft spots on the fields," Housman tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "So once we'd get things ready they would go in for their third part inspections and make sure everything is stable for the turf, and then they would find a spot that would be to soft, and then they would have to excavate that out and start over."

Housman says this happened two or three times and by that point scheduling became an issue.  

Turf is being laid now at Central. Housman, says with workers have been working overtime to complete the project at Central. . .

"It's laid from about the endzone line to about approximately I'd say the 40 yard line on the other side," Hausman explains.  "That process there is probably the quickest process out of the whole thing that goes down, the longest process that we have is when you start and you have to sew in all the letters, some are sewn, some are glued in, and then you have to do the numbers, every hash mark."

Housman says everything has to be laid by hand, which is time-consuming. It could 14 to 17 days to complete.

The project is part of improvements being made to all the St. Joseph schools after voters approved a bond issue. Benton, Lafayette, and Central will all transition from natural grass fields to turf.

Housman, says once Noyes is complete, each school will have a new modern looking field

"So we're excited about that, and that was one of the things that we wanted to be different," Hausman says.  "We wanted a site that you show up to and then five years from now they're going to be like, man you remember playing at that St. Joe site? Those fields were amazing.  That's the effect that we want, we want people to be happy to go to the fields and be proud of what they have now because they are very nice."

Housman says just one other school in Missouri has the gray turf on it like the ones at the three schools. 

Central will play its first home game against Benton next week at Missouri Western.  Housman, though, expects the field to be completed before the September 19th home game against North Kansas City.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

After rain delay, turf finally going down at Noyes Field

Protests against
President Donald Trump will be held in northwest Missouri on Labor Day, a
continuation of protests which began shortly after Trump became president.

Nancy Zeliff of
Skidmore says protestors will be bringing the same message during protests in
Chillicothe, Maryville, and St. Joseph.

“As with our past
ones, we want recognition that there are Missourians, there are friends and
neighbors of yours, there are Americans that are not happy with the current
state of our country,” Zeliff tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Zeliff is critical
of the Trump Administration policies on immigration, the reduction of Medicaid
funding, and moves to scrap the federal Education Department.

“So, we want to
let people know we’re here, we have a voice, it’s our constitutional right to
protest and to make our feelings known and our legislators need to know we are
unhappy,” according to Zeliff.

The protests
planned for Labor Day in northwest Missouri are part of a nationwide, organized
protests across the country against the policies of the Trump administration.

Zeliff says it’s
important to protest Trump policies even if it doesn’t change many minds in ruby
red Trump country.

“We certainly hope
it makes a difference at the ballot box, but we’re doing what we can,” Zeliff
says. "So, this is what we want northwest Missourians and our legislators
to know.”

Zeliff says it is
important to let those in northwest Missouri who oppose the president to know
they are not alone.

“And we welcome
everyone to show their support of our efforts and also if they feel they’re
alone, they’re not,” Zeliff says. “So, however they wish to support our
efforts, we’re there and we’re showing our dissatisfaction with the
disappearance of democracy.”

Zeliff says it is
important to take a stand and let your voice be heard no matter the reception.

“We’re received
with burnt rubber, middle fingers, maybe a few expletives, maybe the flag of
the current president and his supporters,” Zeliff says. “But we smile and we
hold our sign up and we might bang our drum, which we use at protests, a little
louder and a little longer.”

Protests will be
held in the morning Monday in Chillicothe and St. Joseph. Protests will be held
Monday evening in Maryville.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Protestors will fly in the teeth of Trump country on Labor Day

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

Individual tax rates for residences, farms, commercial buildings and personal property would prevent tax burden shifting, the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform was told at its final field hearing

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

MACON — Separate tax rates for the four classes of taxed property would protect homeowners from large tax increases during reassessment, Chariton County Assessor Darrin Gladbach told a special Missouri House interim committee at its final field hearing.

If residential, commercial, farm and personal property each had a separate rate, any rate cuts due to growth above inflation would be confined to the classification where the growth is occurring, Gladbach said.

That is because when residential values rise faster than appraisals of commercial or farm property, it shifts the burden to homeowners because the Hancock Amendment was written so total property tax revenue growth doesn’t exceed inflation.

“Either the overall valuation does not go up enough to trigger a rollback, or if it does trigger a rollback, all the other subclasses also benefit from that rollback,” Gladbach said.

St. Louis County is the only county to separate property by subclass under a law making it optional.

Gladbach was the first person to testify Wednesday evening to the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform. The committee is looking at how rates are set, what share of true market value should be taxed and what needs to change to make property taxes simpler to understand and pay. It previously took&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/17/missouri-lawmakers-begin-dive-into-property-tax-problems/">testimony in Jefferson City</a>, Lebanon, Kansas City and St. Louis.&nbsp;

More than 100 people attended the hearing where, over the course of three hours, the 20-member committee heard from county officials and residents of north Missouri on what would make property taxes fairer, where assessments reflect actual values and rates reflect the constitutional limits on revenue growth.

Aggravation over higher property tax bills, fueled in part by a push at the&nbsp;<a href="https://stc.mo.gov/" target="_blank">State Tax Commission</a>&nbsp;to get assessors to recognize higher land and building values, has held the attention of state lawmakers for the past two years.

On Monday, elected officials from five counties who have refused commission orders to raise property valuations sued to block it from withholding funds that help pay for assessment activities.

During testimony that closed out the hearing, tax commission Chairman Gary Romine endorsed Gladbach’s proposal to tax each subclass of property at a separate rate.

“Assessed valuations going up should not be an increase in the constituents taxes,” Romine said.&nbsp;

One reason the tax commission has pushed assessors to make increases is to bring appraised values closer to actual market value, especially for residential property. But every appraisal is a guess, based on the sales price of comparable properties, and Missouri does not require sellers to report the value of the property as it is sold.

Romine&nbsp; said the commission has pushed for years for the legislature to enact a law requiring a certificate of value to be filed with the deed transfer.&nbsp;

“But we also realize that that data has to be protected, and it’s no secret the Realtors Association will kill any kind of (certificate of value) bill, if it gets out there, unless we can find a way to protect that data,” Romine said.

Lawmakers have tried to respond to constituent upset over property taxes with measures that allow local voters to freeze tax bills for people over 65, and, during a special session in June, put in place&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">caps on the growth</a>&nbsp;of individual tax bills in 97 of the state’s 114 counties.

But freezes and caps on bills can have the effect of shifting the burden to property not sheltered by the new laws because revenues for the 2,807 local government agencies that impose property taxes are allowed to increase by the rate of inflation and the value of new construction.

“When we freeze an area, the ones left in the pool pick up the slack, because we’ve got these fire districts and ambulance districts in rural Missouri, and the cost of funding is not going down,” Gladbach said.

Lawmakers provided lower-income seniors and people with disability more property tax relief during the regular session this year. The tax bill that eliminated taxes on capital gains also increased the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-approves-tax-cuts-for-capital-gains-diapers-and-low-income-seniors/">income limits and credit amounts</a>&nbsp;for the elderly and people with disabilities who use the&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/tax-types/property-tax-credit/" target="_blank">Circuit Breaker tax credit</a>&nbsp;and, in June, put in place&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">caps on the growth</a>&nbsp;of tax bills in 97 of the state’s 114 counties.

The committee will meet again next Wednesday in Jefferson City as it takes the information from five public hearings held around the state and works on a bill to introduce for the 2026 legislative session, said state Rep. Tim Taylor, the Republican from Boonville who is chairman.

The committee may meet several times in early September if there is a special session on congressional redistricting, he said.

“It’s my goal to try to have this meeting over the public testimony in that week in Jefferson City, on whatever time frame, if it comes to fruition,” Taylor said. “And it would be my goal to even have one more after that, prior to December, so we might try to sit down and get a bill.”

The questions the committee must answer include whether constitutional changes are needed, whether the percentages of appraised value subject to tax should be changed and whether the tax commission should be expanded beyond three members.

“Part of the reason why I got this job is because I knew how complicated it was, and I complained that it was too complicated,” Taylor said. “So the speaker said, ‘well, if you want to complain, maybe you should try to help fix it.’”

The Missouri State Tax Commission provides oversight to the work of local assessors in 114 counties and the city of St. Louis. It sets the amounts used as the productive value of farmland, oversees the taxation of railroads and utility property, and is a place where owners can appeal property values when dissatisfied with the outcome reached by local boards of equalization.

In the lawsuit filed Monday in Polk County, officials in Audrain, DeKalb, Pike, Polk and Reynolds counties accuse the commission of exceeding its authority by demanding large jumps in assessed value and imposing impossible timelines.

Each county has received what the commission calls equalization orders, directing them to boost property values for real estate by up to 15%.&nbsp;

The commission’s orders “are an effort to force clerks, assessors, and boards of equalization to raise residential property assessments in an arbitrary and capricious manner without providing proper notice to the taxpayers affected by the increases,” the lawsuit states. “Upon information and belief, (the) commission has been made aware of this timing issue regarding the required notice to taxpayers and has failed to address these concerns.”

Members of the tax commission declined to comment on the lawsuit when asked at the interim committee hearing.

Local assessors are required to assign new values to all property in odd-numbered years, a process called general reassessment. The tax commission wants the values to fall between 90 and 110% of the true market value for the particular type of property.

When assessment increases are likely to cause tax bills to go up, notices must go out by June 1. Individual property owners are given a chance to appeal the new value to the local Board of Equalization, where they can argue over the price of comparable properties, or that factors such as age or storm damage make the valuation inaccurate.

Once the total value of all property in a taxing district is set in July, the governing boards calculate the impact on rates and set a public hearing. The rates for the year are set by Sept. 1 after public hearings.

DeKalb County, home to 42 taxing entities, was issued an equalization order dated July 22 demanding that it increase commercial assessments by 15%. That was too late to allow for appeals, County Clerk Melissa Meek said in an interview with The Independent.

The result, she said, would have been for the affected businesses to pay their taxes under protest, freezing the funds until appeals were resolved.

“I begged them to rescind their order and do it next year in a timely manner,” Meek said. “The patrons, the business owners, could meet with the Board of Equalization and they could bring their comps for comparable sales, and they could say why they shouldn’t have to pay and then let the (board) decide if the 15% increase was valid or not. But they didn’t give anybody that opportunity.”

The tax commission hasn’t formally threatened DeKalb County’s funding for assessment costs, which Meek said is about $25,000 a year. But the lawsuit says the commission is threatening to withhold more than $250,000 from the other four participating in the case.

The orders would force assessors to violate the law because any property where the value increases by 15% or more must be evaluated from the exterior in an inspection. The commission’s order to add the increase to any locally determined value for all residential properties would force assessors to violate the law, the lawsuit states

Along with forcing assessors to violate the law, blanket increases in assessments do not take into account individual conditions. Values may not change much, if at all, for properties in poor condition or in undesirable locations, the lawsuit states.

“The equalization orders specifically are discriminatory to taxpayers owning low-value properties in that a 15% increase will cause those properties to be assessed higher as compared to their market value than other properties within the counties,” the filing states.

Only the local assessor can know where it is appropriate to set higher values and which properties have not changed, Meek said.&nbsp;

“We know our county,” Meek said. “We know what our people can do and what they can’t do.”&nbsp;

Missouri House committee urged to silo property into separate classes for taxes

ANDREW COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Thursday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Impala driven by a 24-year-old Savannah man was westbound on Route B at U.S. 71 two miles west of Bolckow.&nbsp; The car traveled into the path of a southbound 2012 Kia Soul driven by&nbsp; a 19-year-old Kansas City, Missouri woman.

After impact the Chevy traveled off the west side of the road and struck a stop sign and then traveled over an embankment.

Andrew County EMS transported both driver to Mosaic Life Care. Both were properly resstrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

2 hospitalized in St. Joe after 2-vehicle crash

The fifth annual Leadership Northwest Music Jam is this weekend in Trenton at the Black Silo Winery.   

Jenna Stevens, an alumna of Leadership Northwest, says this year’s music jam will bring back former acts from the past year’s concerts, including headliner Ryan Griffin 

"He was kind of a crowd favorite, and he's a friend of Shane who heads our Music Jam committee and so we just thought what better way to celebrate five years than to go ahead and bring him back as well as all of the opening acts that we've had from here locally," Stevens tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

Stevens says the concert was always well attended, but is even more anticipated now that it's held during Trenton's alumni week 

"Alumni weekend in Trenton is a very big deal, there's thousands of people that come back for class reunions," Stevens explains.  "And we thought that would be a great way one to increase attendance, which it was, first year that we did that we definitely had more ticket sales, and it was just a great atmosphere having people excited to see each other and have live music." 

Stevens says what makes this concert exciting is many of the performers have performed in past iterations of the concert 

"From what I hear they're planning to do something together, not just individually, I think that is going to be really something special to see and to watch," Stevens says.  "All of those local talents are also alumni from Trenton High School, and so that makes it a little bit more special with it being Alumi Weekend as well." 

Doors open to the concert on Saturday at 6pm.  Tickets will be $25 dollars and will be available at the door. 

Leadership Northwest Missouri hosts fifth annual Music Jam this weekend in Trenton

BROWN COUNTY—One person was in an accident just after 7a.m. Thursday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 International semi driven by David&nbsp;Gress, 68, Seneca, was eastbound on U.S. just west of Falcon Road.

The vehicle lost its left front tire. It entered the north ditch and rolled. The tire then struck a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica driven by John&nbsp;Zimmers, 45, Hiawatha.

EMS transported Gress to KU Medical.&nbsp; Zimmers was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after semi lost a tire and rolled

December corn closed up 10 1/4 cents and March corn was up 10 1/4 cents. November soybeans closed up 6 1/2 cents and January soybeans were up 5 3/4 cents. December KC wheat closed up 4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 5 1/4 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was up 2 3/4 cents.

December corn closed up 8 3/4 cents and March corn was up 9 cents. November soybeans closed down 4 cents and January soybeans were down 4 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed down 5 1/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 13 1/4 cents and December Minneapolis wheat was down 7 3/4 cents.

Friday's trade featured month-end position-squaring as short-side traders raced to book profits while also avoiding the beginning of the delivery period for September futures contracts next week. The firm corn market offered support to soybean and wheat futures, both recovering from a sluggish start Friday to finish higher heading into the long weekend. In outside markets, equity markets relaxed into month end following three straight sessions higher. Energy markets were lower in a continuation of mixed trade overall through this week. Treasury yields were mostly lower as well as Personal Consumption Expenditure data on Friday morning showed that consumers in July remained avid spenders despite generally higher prices. The key inflation metric fell within expectations and the Federal Reserve is likely to have all the supporting features in place to cut its target rate by a quarter point in next month's meeting.

The live cattle complex got back to trading higher as traders are again finding support in the market's slightly higher cash cattle trade. It's unlikely that traders will challenge the market's resistance at $240 unless something wild and dramatic develops in the fed cash cattle market. But at this point, it's looking like some more trade could develop, but prices may hold steady with the week's trend. So far this week Southern live cattle have traded at mostly $242, which is $2.00 higher than last week's weighted average and Northern dressed cattle have traded at mostly $385, which is $1.00 lower than last week's weighted average.

Following Thursday's lower close, the feeder cattle complex also got back to trading higher as traders are no longer up against immediate resistance levels. Demand in the countryside remains incredibly strong, so today's recovery in the futures sector is a move based upon continued support of the market's fundamentals and because the contracts are no longer teetering at resistance levels.

If the lean hog complex rounded out the day higher, and an incredible week for the market, as the contracts closed higher every day this week. And although pork cutout values were higher this morning, demand has been softer than usual, so this week's momentum in the marketplace has largely been driven by traders. The big change in the carcass price came because of the $14.23 jump in the belly and because of the $11.60 jump in the picnic.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/29151210/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

Cases of New World screwworm infections in Mexico have climbed by more than 50 percent since July. As of August 17, reports show, Mexico has documented 5,086 cases of the flesh-eating screwworm in animals, a 53 percent rise from July, according to numbers released by the Mexican government. The updated numbers previously unavailable to the public show 649 currently active cases of screwworm infections. 

“That’s incredibly concerning,” said Neal Wilkins. He told reporters that a fifty percent increase in the number of cases from July to August, particularly in extreme heat, means that Mexico hasn’t gotten the parasite under control. An NCBA spokesman said the increase in the number of NWS cases shows that the New World screwworm is a very present and real threat. Reports say the increase in the number of reported cases likely comes from Mexican cattle producers more closely inspecting their cattle and reporting any suspicious wounds or pests.

Over 50 percent rise in NWS cases in Mexico

For the sixth time this year, the overall Rural Mainstreet Index sank below growth neutral. That’s according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a ten-state region dependent on agriculture or energy. The overall reading for August dropped to 48.1 after rising above growth-neutral to 50.6 in July and 51.9 in June. The index ranges between 0 and 100, with a reading of 50.0 representing neutral growth. 

Dr. Ernie Goss of Creighton University says “Weak agriculture commodity prices for grain producers continue to dampen economic activity in the ten-state region,” and “Bank CEOs and chief loan officers expect almost one-fifth, or 20 percent, of grain farmers to experience negative cash flow for 2025.” As current prices for corn and soybeans are still below break-even, the majority of the state’s producers will struggle to show operational profitability.

Rural Mainstreet Index falls below growth neutral

December corn closed up 4 cents and March corn was up 4 1/4 cents. November soybeans closed up 1/2 cents and January soybeans were unchanged. December KC wheat closed up 2 3/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 4 3/4 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was up 1/2 cents.

Ag markets appeared to be on their way to a continuation of Wednesday's lower drift before buying interest picked up late in the session. Traders are displaying a bit of uncertainty on where to send prices next given on one hand the large supplies that appear to be coming this fall, but on the other hand a dry August which may very well have trimmed the top end off yield potential for the southern and eastern Grain Belt. Outside markets for Thursday were very quiet with equities moving cautiously higher, with the S&amp;P500 extending Wednesday's record move. Energy markets also reversed higher off a softer tone early Thursday in what has been an overall sideways week in that sector.

Following Wednesday's higher close, the live cattle complex traded lower at the closing bell as traders seem to be keeping the market on hold, waiting to see what else surfaces from a fundamental sense before they push the contracts any higher. Packer interest could improve at any moment, but for the time being, not a single bid is on the table. Asking prices are noted in the South at $245, but are still not established in the North. It's assumed that prices will trade steady if not a bit higher again this week as feedlot managers sit with enough leverage to simply roll their showlists over into next week if prices aren't what they want.

The live cattle contracts trading lower, had the feeder cattle complex change its direction as the market watched support erode and send the contracts tumbling. Feeder cattle demand remains utterly incredible, and with buyers showing no clear signs of slowing down, traders feel comfortable allowing the contracts to continue to trade as they will and follow the live cattle market into the red.

The lean hog complex is keeping with its upward trek and not seeming too phased by the market's resistance at $94.00. What's pretty incredible about traders' recent move is that they're doing it with little to no fundamental support. Although pork cutout values were a tick higher this morning, demand has been weaker this week, and it's looking like packers are mostly done buying the cash market, as prices couldn't be posted this morning because of confidentiality.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/28145929/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The National Corn Growers Association issued a report saying corn prices have dropped about 50 percent since hitting a peak in 2022. However, the cost of production has declined only modestly, making the production of corn unprofitable. The group said despite the plunging prices, the cost of growing an acre of corn this year is down only 3.3 percent from when prices topped out in 2022. 

“This is particularly problematic for farmers trying to cash flow high production costs while the corn price has tanked,” NCGA said in the report. Production of the grain is set to reach 16.742 billion bushels on a yield of 188.8 bushels per acre in the 2025-2026 marketing year. The average cost to grow a bushel of corn this year is projected at approximately $4.75 a bushel, and USDA expects farmers to receive about $3.90 per bushel, resulting in an 85-cent per bushel loss. 

NCGA: Corn is unprofitable at current price levels

The Maryland Department of Health said the patient with the first human infection of a travel-associated New World screwworm in the U.S. has recovered from the flesh-eating parasite. There was also no sign of transmission to other people or animals. The Health and Human Services Department said the disease was confirmed on August 4 in a person who traveled to El Salvador. The CDC then reported it on August 24 after a three-week delay.

R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard indicated that neither the CDC nor the USDA had disclosed the NWS detection to the public. Instead, one or both agencies had selectively notified only certain industry participants of the detection, thereby giving them insider information regarding an issue with potentially severe ramifications. Bullard says, “Independent U.S. livestock producers rely exclusively on the USDA to protect the health and safety of their livestock herds against the introduction of foreign pests.”

Why the delay in reporting the screwworm?

December corn closed down 3 1/2 cents, March corn was down 3 1/4 cents. November soybeans closed down 2 cents and January soybeans were down 2 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed down 4 3/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was down 7 1/2 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 13 cents.

Corn and wheat markets slipped lower again Wednesday, with wheat breaking back toward calendar year lows for most active futures after a disappointing technical close Tuesday, adding pressure to the corn market as well. Soybeans in the meanwhile were cautiously higher for most of the morning after a dry August for the southern and eastern reaches of the Belt seemingly supported attempted selloffs. But eventually general weakness across ag markets, specifically in soybean oil and soybean meal, was ultimately too much for soybeans to trade counter to. Meanwhile, energy markets got a boost Wednesday as a result of the 50% U.S. tariff on India going into effect in response to India's purchasing of Russian oil. Wednesday morning's EIA Petroleum Status Report also showed a weekly drawdown in U.S. crude, gasoline, and diesel stocks. U.S. equity markets have climbed at midweek ahead of key earnings results.

Almost seeming to double down and show all its power and might, the live cattle complex jolted higher through Wednesday's early trade. The market sold off and came right back in a matter of minutes to finish higher on the session. Wednesday's move comes somewhat as a surprise because midday boxed beef prices were lower, and the fed cash cattle market hasn't seen any cattle trade just yet. So, while I'd typically point to the market fundamentals for reason, today's powerful move is seeming to be a decision made solely based upon the market's technical position as traders continue to respect the long-term bullishness of the cattle complex. A single bid is currently on the table in Nebraska at $245, but still no cattle have traded. Southern asking prices are firm at $243 but are still not established in the North. Trade will likely be delayed until Thursday or Friday.

The feeder cattle complex took on the same rallying mannerisms of the live cattle market as traders continue to show respect and give credence to the market's unwavering, long-term fundamental position. I do think it's worth noting that again today the contracts that are seeing the biggest gains are the deferred months as traders are realizing that supplies aren't going to become greater any time soon.

Keeping with the same gusto it possessed Tuesday, the lean hog complex was thriving as the market neared Wednesday's closing bell. And again today, the market can't point to its fundamentals as support as both cash prices and pork cutout values were lower; so instead, today's energy is solely being driven by eager traders who see an opportunity.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/27141453/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

When retail prices for any product reach record-high levels, the demand usually plummets quickly. U.S. beef appears to be the exception to the basic rule of economics. Retail grocery store prices for beef skyrocketed and show no signs of descending. But demand hasn’t softened. A new report from CoBank says the allure of beef, even at high prices, is likely the result of several factors currently shaping consumer buying behaviors. 

The all-fresh retail beef prices surged by nine percent, hitting $8.90 per pound. CoBank says improvements in beef quality and the increased availability of premium-grade cuts at retail have played a big role in driving demand. The U.S. beef industry is producing a much higher quality of product today than it did 30 years ago. Brian Earnst, lead animal protein analyst, says access to high-quality beef has never been better, and American consumers have developed a taste for it. 

Consumers shrug off high beef prices

The Federal Reserve’s Ninth District in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has enjoyed good weather for crop production, but crop prices haven’t been friendly to farmers’ pocketbooks. A North Dakota farm lender told the Federal Reserve that, “High operating costs and lower grain prices are the biggest concerns.” Lenders responding to the second quarter Ag Credit Survey said farm incomes decreased across the Ninth District.

Lenders also reported that spending on capital equipment fell, and farm household purchases edged lower on balance. Around the district, 91 percent of the agricultural lenders said incomes decreased from April through June compared to the same period a year ago. With the weaker cash position, demand for loans rose sharply. Loan repayments also dropped, and loan renewal and extension activity increased. Interest rates for agricultural loans decreased slightly but remained high. Cropland values in the Ninth District were mixed, while cash rents dropped compared to last year. 

Farm incomes dropping in Fed’s ninth district

December corn closed down 2 3/4 cents and March corn was down 3 1/4 cents. November soybeans closed up 1 3/4 cents and January soybeans were up 1 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed down 3 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 2 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 2 3/4 cents.

Grains were mixed Tuesday as the brief price boost from Friday's supportive Pro Farmer yield estimates have seemingly grown stale as traders at this rate are chomping at the bit for field data to base their next price bets on. Outside markets were mixed on the news that President Trump plans to move ahead with firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook. Equities treaded near even, while Treasury yields were a touch higher. Meanwhile, energy markets are correcting lower Tuesday, snapping a streak of positive sessions built primarily around Black Sea concerns.

The worry and concern that plagued Monday's live cattle market regarding the case where a traveler who was traveling abroad tested positive for New World screwworm in Maryland no longer seems to be at the forefront of the market's mind anymore. Currently, the October contract is trading at a new contract high as traders seem to be pressing onward aggressively and are encouraged to see boxed beef prices up as much as they are. Still no cash cattle trade has developed, but asking prices are noted in the South at $243, and remain unestablished in the North.

The feeder cattle complex was trading throughout the day with vengeance as the market gapped higher this morning and hasn't looked back since. And with the notable gain seen yesterday in feeder cattle sales across the country, the fundamental support is there for traders to make this kind of move.

Although morning pork cutout values were a tick lower, the lean hog complex challenged the market's resistance in the spot October contract, as currently, trader support is more than ample. There's a chance that with morning pork cutout values lower than traders could become weary at any point in time, but at this moment, support and stronger trends seem to be the market's trajectory.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/26154008/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The special legislative session will also include a proposal to change the initiative petition process in a way that would mean as few as 23% of voters could defeat a statewide ballot measure

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri lawmakers will return to the Capitol next week to gerrymander the state’s congressional map in the hopes of creating a new Republican seat.&nbsp;

They will also debate putting a constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot that would make it harder for voters to change the constitution through the initiative petition process.&nbsp;

Both proposals were included in the special legislative session agenda crafted by Gov. Mike Kehoe and announced on Friday. The move has been expected for weeks, with Missouri Republicans f<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/21/missouri-gop-leader-says-lawmakers-will-start-with-a-congressional-map-drawn-in-d-c/">acing pressure from President Donald Trump&nbsp;</a>to redraw U.S. House districts so the GOP can win more seats in next year’s midterm elections.

&nbsp;“This is about clarity for voters and ownership of our future, and I hope the legislature will work together to pass our Missouri First Map and critically needed IP reform,” Kehoe said in a statement Friday afternoon.

Missouri has eight congressional districts, and Democrats hold two. The new map would split Kansas City, which is currently entirely in the 5th District and represented by 11-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, into three districts where Republicans would have an electoral edge.&nbsp;

The intended result is a map where the GOP holds 90% of the state’s seats in the U.S. House.

“President Trump’s unprecedented directive to redraw our maps in the middle of the decade and without an updated census is not an act of democracy — it is an unconstitutional attack against it,” Cleaver said shortly after the proposed new map was revealed. “This attempt to gerrymander Missouri will not simply change district lines, it will silence voices. It will deny representation.”

Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a Democrat from St. Louis County, said the president’s motivation for the gerrymandering push is fear of voters seeing files related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“If Democrats retake the House, they will release the Epstein Files, and this scares the hell out of President Trump,” Beck said. “That’s why the President has ordered Missouri to rubber stamp a rigged map drawn in Washington D.C. because he knows Missouri Republicans would rather protect pedophiles than say ‘no’ to Donald Trump.”

As for changes to the initiative petition process, Republicans are pushing a plan that would require a statewide majority and a majority vote in five of the state’s eight congressional districts in order to approve a constitutional amendment.&nbsp;

Currently, a simple majority is all that is required.

Under that “concurrent majority” standard, analysis by The Independent last year found that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/05/as-few-as-1-in-5-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-senate-proposal/">as few as 23% of voters</a>&nbsp;could defeat a statewide ballot measure.

The gerrymandering and initiative petition push will begin in the Missouri House next week, with the expectation that bills will be sent to the Missouri Senate for it to consider them during the legislature’s annual veto session on Sept. 10.&nbsp;

Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers. The bills are unlikely to face any stumbling blocks in the House, but Senate Democrats are expected to use the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to gum up legislative business as much as possible.&nbsp;

In order to overcome the gridlock, Senate Republicans may once again have to break a filibuster and force a vote by turning to a rule that was previously rarely-used but got deployed twice during the regular legislative session in May.&nbsp;

Doing so would create even more bad blood in a legislative chamber already teetering on the edge of full on partisan collapse and could upend the 2026 session before it even gets started.&nbsp;

There are also questions about whether redistricting now would violate Missouri’s constitution.&nbsp;

The Missouri Constitution calls for the legislature to draw new congressional districts every 10 years after new census numbers are certified to the governor.&nbsp;

That happened in 2022, which attorneys Chuck Hatfield and Alix Cossette argue means new districts cannot be drawn until the next census is complete.&nbsp;

“The plain language of the Missouri Constitution and the Missouri Supreme Court’s precedent make clear that mid-cycle congressional redistricting is prohibited,” Hatfield and Cossette, two longtime Democratic attorneys, wrote in a memo laying out issues with the GOP plan. “Any attempt to do so will draw a substantial legal challenge which will likely succeed and invalidate any map adopted by the General Assembly.”

There are also questions about whether relying on population data could also lead to a court throwing out any new map.&nbsp;

Kehoe acknowledged the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/article_34cd0710-36ea-4d6b-bff4-2e62c876e286.html" target="_blank">questions about the legality of the plan&nbsp;</a>while speaking to reporters Friday morning.&nbsp;

“I’ve heard opinions on both sides of that conversation,” he said. “It will get settled in due time.”

Missouri governor calls lawmakers back to Capitol to gerrymander congressional map

KANSAS CITY —The Medical examiner has officially identified the victims of a small plane crash near Kansas City on Wednesday as 76-year-old Mark W. Spelts and 75-year-old Victoria "Vickie" A. Spelts of Chico, California.

Mark Spelts’ business also announced that he and Vickie passed away in a plane crash in Clay County, Missouri.

The couple had come from an airport in Washington, Missouri, and intended to land at the Midwest National Air Center.&nbsp;

Just before noon Wednesday, dispatchers in Clay County, Missouri received a call about heavy smoke coming from a field near NE 140th Street and Rhodus Road, according to the sheriff's office. Callers believed it may have been from a plane crash. When deputies arrived, they located a Cessna C340 fully engulfed in flames in a soybean field. There were two occupants inside, and they were confirmed deceased.

&nbsp;Sheriff's Office investigators notified the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board, which have taken over the investigation into what caused the crash.

Medical examiner IDs couple who died in plane crash near Kansas City

The Powerball® jackpot just hit an estimated $1 billion for Saturday night’s drawing. After reviewing national ticket sales, game leaders increased the Powerball jackpot estimate Friday morning from $950 million to $1 billion, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. Saturday’s jackpot has an estimated cash value of $453.1 million.

This is the sixth Powerball jackpot to reach the billion-dollar mark in the game’s 33-year history.

“We’re bringing extra excitement to Labor Day Weekend with a Powerball jackpot that’s climbed to a billion dollars!” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “For just $2, every ticket is a chance to win big, while also giving back to public programs and services that benefit communities wherever Powerball is played.”

Saturday’s Powerball drawing will be broadcast live at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. The Powerball drawing will also be live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com</a>.

If a player wins Saturday’s jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize estimated at $1 billion or a lump sum payment estimated at $453.1 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.

Saturday’s drawing will be the 39th drawing since the Powerball jackpot was last won in California on May 31, 2025. The summer jackpot streak has already created 62 winning tickets worth $1 million or more, and 608 winning tickets worth $50,000 or more.

Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $36 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com</a>.

The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

Powerball soars to sixth largest in game's 33-year history

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with the death of a dog and alleged abuse of another dog at a home in Ogden.

The Riley County&nbsp; Police Department received several calls over the summer about alleged negligence in the care of dogs at a home in the 3700 Block of Saddle Horn Trail, according to RCPD spokesman Josha Kinder.&nbsp; Last week police located a dog deceased outside the home.

Just before 4p.m. August 27, police executed a search warrant at the home and found&nbsp;another dog in the home malnourished.

As a result,&nbsp; police arrested 35-year-old Marquies Collins on requested charges for cruelty to animals. Collins met the requirement of a $1,000 bond and is no longer confined in the Riley County Jail.

Local

Region

Sports

Agriculture